Sue Monaghan, who has been active in consultations about the large housing development on the site of former Clarks buildings called the Houndwood Development, has just been round with a CD rom which I uploaded to my laptop. (I have since found how to burn the information onto another CD, so I shall soon delete it from the computer.)



From a brief gallop through the 50+ pages of the first file I see that local groups have not been able to bring the density down. The architects/designers have opted for larger open spaces, with denser housing, including two big blocks of flats instead of the one originally proposed, rather than every dwelling having its own pocket-handkerchief of garden.



My personal reaction to the design of the flats is 'Ugh', but that is personal. What is more objective will be the materials to be used. It seems that the only local stone to be used is going to be lumps in a metal net. Um....



Sue asks me to look at the section of the CD on landscaping, so I shall do that. And the other point she makes is that some of the houses will be cheap, and that has got to be a benefit. The masterplan board is here:


And here is the layout for phase 1: